Roadtrip with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

I'm currently down in Hatteras NC (OBX) with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Hyundai was kind enough to loan us the car for a one week review, and our first thought was, "let's put some miles on this puppy." So we filled the tank in NJ and 13 hours and 481 miles later we were at the Seaside Inn. And the tank wasn't empty! We averaged nearly 42MPG and stopped for everything but gas - food, ice cream, bathrooms, photo ops. I don't think I've ever driven a car with that much range.

In any case, one of the bags was filled with camera gear, a rolling case from jLab (no, I've never heard of them either) that I poached from Groupon for like $30. Score! The bag's got the following:

• Panasonic GH2 with 12-35 F2.8
• Nikon 1 V1 with 10-30, 30-110, 10/28, and 18/1.8 lenses
• Panasonic LX-7
• Pentax Q with 5-15 and 01 Standard Prime
• Pentax K-01 with FA43
• Merlin Steadicam 2
• Switronix TorchLED light
• small reflector
• chargers, batteries, memory cards
• Apple Macbook Pro
• Apple iPad
• the kitchen sink

The Panasonic LX7 and Nikon 1 have gotten the most use so far; they are just so small and convenient that they always end up in our backpack. The review is for NewMotor, a digital publication, so the highest resolution that we're going to need is for an iPad with Retina Display, 2048 by 1536 pixels. The LX7 and Nikon 1 will be able to handle that no problem; heck nearly all digital cams will be able to handle that.

I feel a bit guilty about bringing the Pentaxes along, or to be more precise, about leaving them behind. They're both great cameras but a luxury for this project. I guess that it's one of those things where if you've got a big bag you'll be sure to fill it. I think I'll bring out the FA43 today; that lens needs a workout...

Streets of Chinatown NYC (Panasonic LX7 et al.)

Panasonic LX7 with the Pentax K-5 + FA43 thrown in for good measure. I also brought the Pentax Q but the LX7 got the bulk of the workout. The Panny's fast zoom makes it well suited to street work, from a fast and wide 24mm F1.4 to a still fast telephoto 90mm F2.3 that lets me reach across the narrow streets of Chinatown for candid shots:

It's in the Bag, Baby Photo Edition

Heading out soon to photograph my friends' precocious little one year old. This is what I'm bringing:

Pentax K-5 with grip
K-01
DA21mm F3.2 Limited
DA70mm F2.4 Limited
FA31mm F1.8 Limited
FA43mm F1.9 Limited

That's it. I was going to bring the DA* zooms but then I looked at the photos I'd taken six months ago and the DA70 and DA21 got the most keepers. I'm bringing the FAs for a little workout. My wife will be shooting the K-01 (currently with the FA31) and I'll start with the K-5 with the FA43.

For lighting, I've got a Metz 58 AF-1 in the bag, but we'll probably use the CFL softbox more. It's an 85watt bulb that puts out as much light as a 400 watt tungsten without the heat.

A Cat Photo. That Can Only Mean One Thing.

...A new piece of gear, the Pentax FA43mm F1.9 Limited lens. I've been gravitating towards Pentax lenses with aperture rings lately, so that I can control the aperture when shooting video with my Panasonic GH2. I have a Pentax K-Micro Four-Thirds adapter with an aperture ring, but it's never instilled confidence in its construction, and the aperture control has only a handful of aperture detents. So the FA43 joins the FA31mm F1.8 in the stable.

Or is this just another excuse to purchase more gear? I'm not saying. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.